Bread and Potatoes

I awoke to a beautiful, sunny day on Thursday 10th July without the usual knot of work related dread. I had the morning off.

Firstly, because I'm entitled and I felt I was owed it.

Secondly, I was to walk my eldest boy to secondary school for his first of 2 transitional days.

And finally, so that I could listen to the peal attempt of Holbeach Surprise Major to celebrate the anniversary of All Saints Church. 5,088 changes for 5,088 years. Incredible. Older than the pyramids. ✞

Anyhow, I had not long arrived back home from dropping my boy off, around 9:45 when I heard rounds being struck from my courtyard. Despite having a courtyard, I do not live in a castle or a palace. The bells were stooded and several ringers having adjusted their ropes tested their bells. Some of the finest ringing of the day. I put the kettle on so that I could take a cup of tea to enjoy in the churchyard while I listened, and the kettle had hardly boiled when I heard rounds being struck. Whoops. They went into changes again and I took my freshly brewed tea across the courtyard, through the communal entrance* and made my way to the churchyard across the road. (*Communal entrance suggests that I may live in a hostel. I do not.)

As I arrived in the churchyard I circled the tower and captured a video with the bells ringing before deciding on a bench to sit on. The South side bench had plenty of shade, but would also leave me in view of ringers through the great tower windows at Holbeach, and so I decided as much as I enjoy being a distraction, not to be so on this occasion. I settled for a bench on the West end.

Here I sat reflectively listening to the bells while sipping tea and smoking cigarettes. Obviously I was also intensely judging the striking. Also judging the striking, I believe, were the 2 Eastern European gentlemen swigging Zubr (the Polish beer with a Bison on it) on another bench nearby. At this point the bells probably sounded fair and true, after a couple of 10am tinnies. To my ear it sounded detached, a little clashy and uncertain. Just over half an hour in, and one mash up, however, and the striking was very good. My quaffing comrades probably toasted the improvement. Among some of the sights I encountered during this prelude were a pair of church ladies dragging a trolley full of bread and potatoes to place in the church porch for people to take, one of the kind gestures this church has done for many years.

I had run out of tea by this point so returned home to make another. As I rose from the bench, one of the local pigeons flew by and nearly struck me on the head. The first of 3 near misses by anti-social local pigeons this morning. When I arrived home I left the front door open so I could continue to listen. I returned minutes later to find my beer swilling friends had stolen my bench. Unwanting of company, and very aware of causing distraction through the tower windows, I settled for a bench by the north end porch. This ended up being a better place to sit, for now, as it was currently shaded, I could hear the reverberation of the bells, and reflected like hammer blows off the nearby buildings, the striking surrounded me and drowned out the constant buzz of traffic from the High Street.

For the next 45 minutes the striking was consistent and good, which is a feat for Holbeach bells! Obviously the inclusion of the front four bells made true Minimus ringing impossible, but I listened on intently none the less. During this time one of my lager-lout buddies wandered into the porch to obtain some bread and potatoes and appeared to be heading home with his tucker. He returned some 10 minutes later with more refreshments. At this point I opted to do the same, however I opted for a can of coke which had been sat in my fridge for several weeks. It was extremely welcome and refreshing. I once more made my way back to the church and secured my perch again.

The ringing was still very good. Pleasingly good. But the Sun had now worked it's way around, and this was bad. Very bad. Before I could begin to feel too sorry for myself however, passing by was the lovely Vera, one of the ringers who attends our local Whaplode practice and rings for Holbeach service. And glad to have collared her I was, as she had intentions to pop her head up and bid 'Hello' to the ringers. A potentially devastating, but hilarious way to end a peal. After a friendly catch up, Vera carried on with her day and left me to carry on listening to the bells while roasting in the midday sun. The striking was wonderful! Until it wasn't.

A minor clash brought the ringing back to its initial form, detached, clashy and uncertain, but even more pronounced this time. It was at this awful moment that my beer chugging chum wandered once more into the church porch and claimed some more potatoes and bread. He made this trip one more time before the ringing was over. As the ringing further deteriorated I placed my head in my hands and willed, willed more than I had willed in my life, that the bells find their places and stabilise once more. This was the most stressful period of ringing I had ever (not) taken part in.

I was soon joined by one of Gedney's learners, Phil, whose words floated over me as I continued to hold shares in the ringing. Through the gaps in my hands I then see Michael Slater, Holbeach's Tower Captain, approach me. I exclaim several things, and possibly swear, as he agrees and confirms with me how long the ringing has been going on. A mere 15ish minutes from the end judging on the ringing speed and past peals. Michael discusses the possibility of returning Holbeach practices with Phil and other stuff that in the moment didn't really matter in the slightest to me. The ringing calms down aside from a couple of clashy bells in the middle, then the back, then the middle again, it seems that most of the bells have once more found their place and the chaos has departed. I follow the treble waiting for the lead end which might finally end it all, while Michael listens for the tenors. Eventually that fateful lead comes where rounds is struck and it is all over!

The bells are stood, I sheepishly wander into the church, glimpse dear Anthony (Walker) on the balcony who catches my eye and returns the thumbs up that I'm offering. I wander up the stairs and see 8 fairly exhausted looking ringers. In 3h09m, in 30°C heat, I successfully sat around and listened to a peal at Holbeach. Quite an achievement. And kudos to the ringers as well, they also played their part . Alan Bird even exclaimed that he shan't be ringing many more peals of that style in the near future, if ever!

At this point, the bells were rung down (I rung down the 7th, thereby claiming some overall credit for the peal), photos were taken, hugs were shared and Michael brewed up some Ovaltine for the tired ringers. Unfortunately, as I am not currently retired like the average ringer, I returned to work but managed to do very little for the rest of the day.

I offer my congratulations to Barry Jones, the conductor, and the rest of the band for this historic peal at Holbeach. While it started off rocky, the ringing throughout was of marvellous quality and the bells sounded much easier to ring than I know they are! On top of the paragraph upon paragraph of spiel that you have just been daft enough to read, I really did feel invested in the ringing and shared in both the glory and the stress. If nothing else, today's peal reinforced for me the importance of being aware of the surrounding area when ringing. It truly is the most public of performances and the absolute delight it can bring a listener when the striking is good for so long is immense.

Lincoln Diocesan Guild
Holbeach, Lincolnshire
All Saints
Thursday, 10 July 2025 in 3h 9 (13-2-14 in E?)
5088 Holbeach Surprise Major
Composed by Donald F Morrison (No. 584)
1. Keith C Butter
2. Sylvia M Bird
3. Alan D H Bird
4. Robert Simpson
5. Joanne Pearson
6. Martin F Mitchell
7. Anthony D Walker
8. P Barry Jones (C)
First in the method 3, 4 & 5.
✞ Rung to mark the 800th anniversary of the church.

Luke Tobin